On Aug. 27, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department announced the first sign of West Nile Virus activity in 2008. A crow that ultimately tested positive for the virus was turned in for testing by the Mosquito and Vector Management District of Santa Barbara County.
West Nile Virus is a blood-borne virus typically transmitted by insects—such as mosquitoes, sand flies, or ticks—that have bitten infected animals, such as birds, dogs, or cats.
The virus has several symptoms, the most serious of which is inflammation of the brain, which can be fatal for humans, horses and certain domestic and wild birds. The virus, however, can’t be transmitted from animal to animal or from human to human.
“This confirms that there is West Nile Virus activity locally, and it is a reminder that we should take steps to avoid mosquito bites,” Dr. Elliot Schulman, health officer and director for the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, said in a press release.
Since the beginning of the year, the state has tested a total of 10 birds from Santa Barbara County, one of which tested positive for West Nile Virus.
West Nile Virus was first detected in the United States in New York in 1999, and has been found in most states and the District of Columbia since then. Over the last year, West Nile Virus activity has been detected in 39 of 58 counties in California.
Since January 2008, there have been 103 human cases confirmed in 13 California counties, with one fatality. Prior to 2007, there were two human cases confirmed as having been acquired in Santa Barbara County and two cases in Santa Barbara County residents that were acquired while traveling outside of the county.
However, according to the press release from the public health department, most individuals infected with West Nile Virus don’t experience any illness. Others will have only mild symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body aches. Still, West Nile Virus can be severe in the elderly and individuals with lowered immune systems.
Public health officials said in the release that people can reduce their risk of being infected with mosquito-borne diseases by applying insect repellant, making sure that doors and windows have tight-fitting screens, and eliminating sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding.
For more information about West Nile Virus, visit the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department’s Web site (sbcphd.org) or westnile.ca.gov.
In other viral news, the Santa Barbara County Animal Services Department released a statement on Aug. 28 reporting several cases of the potentially fatal Canine Parvovirus in Northern Santa Barbara County.
Parvovirus is a highly contagious and often-deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the gastrointestinal tracks of puppies and adult dogs. The virus, which is most lethal toward puppies, can cause fever, vomiting, and severe diarrhea. It’s usually transmitted through contact with, or ingestion of, infected dog feces.
Vaccination against the virus includes a series of two or three shots beginning when the puppies are about seven to eight weeks old and ending when they are about 16 weeks old. The vaccination typically costs about $15 to $20 per shot.
However, according to a press release from Animal Services, it’s recommended that dogs already showing symptoms of the virus not be vaccinated but receive immediate treatment, which can include antibiotic and antiviral medications.
For more information about vaccinations and treatment, contact a local veterinarian.
This article appears in Sep 4-11, 2008.